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GW Softball's Lenhart Named Community Service Student-Athlete of the Month

Softball junior Chelsea Lenhart has been named GW's Community Service Student-Athlete of the Month for December.

The Community Service Student-Athlete of the Month award, a distinction which started this year, goes to the student-athlete who leads by example and who most impacts the GW and Washington communities through service.

"Chelsea takes initiative to involve the team in various service activities," said head softball coach Stacey Schramm. "I'm not sure how she manages to participate in so many great causes, but it reflects who she is as a person and teammate. She makes time to help others, even if it means putting her own needs aside."

Lenhart participated in a number of community service projects with her team during the fall semester, including AIDS Walk and Autism Speaks Walk, as well as Book at the Zoo, which serves as an opportunity for Washington, D.C., families to trick or treat in a safe environment.She and her teammates also volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, where they prepared meals for the residents - children receiving medical treatment for terminal illnesses and their families.

Lenhart is also a member of the Grassroot Colonials program, which partners with Georgetown University and Howard University to bring HIV/AIDS education to at-risk middle schools in the District. In addition, she took part in GW's Trick or Treat for Service, an annual October event in which students go door-to-door in the neighborhoods surrounding the Mount Vernon Campus to collect non-perishable items and hygiene products for the Capital Area Food Bank.

"Taking an active role in bettering our community was an integral part of my upbringing," said Lenhart, an international affairs major. "Coming to GW, I wanted to continue working alongside those who will still live in D.C. even after I have finished my collegiate career. I am very honored to be recognized for something that I have always viewed as a necessary standard, and I am very proud to be part of an athletics department that puts such a high emphasis on volunteering and servicing others. I look forward to working with fellow student-athletes and students alike in future volunteer activities."

Outside of D.C., Lenhart also found time to give back to those in need during her school breaks. While in Akron, Ohio, for Thanksgiving, Lenhart and other members of the community gathered clothing, food and other necessities and distributed the supplies to homeless people in downtown Akron. In addition, the Phoenix, Ariz., native volunteered at a local children's hospital while home for winter break.

"Chelsea's 48 hours of community service last semester have demonstrated her outstanding commitment to Raise High our community," said GW Athletics Life Skills coordinator Ted Costigan.